SPECTOR® Club - Part 55

[worshiprocker]

I have the BTTW non-trim version in my white Euro, and I run the volume knobs at around 60 - 70%.
I wonder if this translates to what you are getting out of your (9-volt) trimpump(s) with your volumes near 100%.

Are all of yours wired for 18v now?

it doesn't translate 1:1 like that actually. a trimpot TP cranked 100% is hotter than the non trim. I run all mine at 9v

thanks guys. ill give it a whack. donny, your nuts. lol 60%. heres a little something if someone is interested.

It is very aggressive but it allows me to play very dynamicly with my right hand. Billy Gibbons is the same way... his amp settings used by anyone else would sound like a metal guitar.

 

[sumgruuvz]

it doesn't translate 1:1 like that actually. a trimpot TP cranked 100% is hotter than the non trim. I run all mine at 9v


It is very aggressive but it allows me to play very dynamicly with my right hand. Billy Gibbons is the same way... his amp settings used by anyone else would sound like a metal guitar.

my right hand is non dynamic im picking or plucking hard 100% of the time.

 

[LimaGuy]

Below are 2 visiting Spectors to the Limapad for a fellow club member.

One is a 1998/1999 NS4CR and the other is a 2001 Euro 4.

I am testing out different preamps to see which he prefers.

In the sound clips below both basses have Pro Steels 45-105, which seem to work very nicely with these basses.

At the moment NS4CR has a BT Circuit wired at 18V, The Euro 4 has a OBP1 wired at 9V.

Here is a sound comparison.
Which clip do you prefer?

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[iceboxbass]

Only reason I would go with other brands of jazz basses is due to the neck size. Ice how does the neck on your coda compare to the fender or sadowski necks. I have played two different Cora's and found the necks to be large for a jazz that I would like to own.

The only Fenders that I've played had been 4 strings. The Coda5XL neck is thinner front to back than the Fender Squire Jazz bass that I had. I've not played a Sadowski. This is copied from the Spector Coda page...
"Featuring what Stuart calls his 1962 Neck Profile"
I really love the neck on my Coda 5XL. It's fast and plays buttery smooth.

 

[cjmodulus]

Below are 2 visiting Spectors to the Limapad for a fellow club member.

One is a 1998/1999 NS4CR and the other is a 2001 Euro 4.

I am testing out different preamps to see which he prefers.

In the sound clips below both basses have Pro Steels 45-105, which seem to work very nicely with these basses.

At the moment NS4CR has a BT Circuit wired at 18V, The Euro 4 has a OBP1 wired at 9V.

Here is a sound comparison.
Which clip do you prefer?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

After listening with my good headphones, I think I like the first one better. It sounds a touch more 'focused' to my ears. They both sound great though.
Which is which? Or is this one of those 'guess the pre amp' thingies? Haha, I'm usually terrible with those. I've been getting better due to all the clips people have been posting though.

 

[Clearwave]

It was hard to decide. There is a big sound difference, both sound good but I like #1 best. It seems more "even".

As always, great playing Sam.

Below are 2 visiting Spectors to the Limapad for a fellow club member.

One is a 1998/1999 NS4CR and the other is a 2001 Euro 4.

I am testing out different preamps to see which he prefers.

In the sound clips below both basses have Pro Steels 45-105, which seem to work very nicely with these basses.

At the moment NS4CR has a BT Circuit wired at 18V, The Euro 4 has a OBP1 wired at 9V.

Here is a sound comparison.
Which clip do you prefer?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[iceboxbass]

my right hand is non dynamic im picking or plucking hard 100% of the time.

Haha...I finally met a song that needs to be played with a pick to do it justice. So this week I'm feverishly boning up with pick playing, for Sunday morning, in front of 400-500 people.

Below are 2 visiting Spectors to the Limapad for a fellow club member.

One is a 1998/1999 NS4CR and the other is a 2001 Euro 4.

I am testing out different preamps to see which he prefers.

In the sound clips below both basses have Pro Steels 45-105, which seem to work very nicely with these basses.

At the moment NS4CR has a BT Circuit wired at 18V, The Euro 4 has a OBP1 wired at 9V.

Here is a sound comparison.
Which clip do you prefer?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I prefer number 2.

 

[5StringFool]

Haha...I finally met a song that needs to be played with a pick to do it justice. So this week I'm feverishly boning up with pick playing, for Sunday morning, in front of 400-500 people.

What song?

 

[LimaGuy]

After listening with my good headphones, I think I like the first one better. It sounds a touch more 'focused' to my ears. They both sound great though.
Which is which? Or is this one of those 'guess the pre amp' thingies? Haha, I'm usually terrible with those. I've been getting better due to all the clips people have been posting though.

It was hard to decide. There is a big sound difference, both sound good but I like #1 best. It seems more "even".

As always, great playing Sam.

I prefer number 2.

#1 is the Euro with the OBP1
#2 is the NS4CR with the BTS

At first I was really liked then BTS better now I am liking the OBP1 better.

We will see what the owner says and decides. I won't tell you who he is but I can tell you he playsbass.

 

[cjmodulus]

#1 is the Euro with the OBP1
#2 is the NS4CR with the BTS

At first I was really liked then BTS better now I am liking the OBP1 better.

We will see what the owner says and decides. I won't tell you who he is but I can tell you he playsbass.

Haha. I thought he was off at war with his Portuguese Water Dogs! Well, he's got some nice sounding basses that's for sure!
Interesting on the OBP 1. I haven't heard many good things about it. This has me really considering putting the OBP 2 in my legend...

 

[worshiprocker]

Below are 2 visiting Spectors to the Limapad for a fellow club member.

One is a 1998/1999 NS4CR and the other is a 2001 Euro 4.

I am testing out different preamps to see which he prefers.

In the sound clips below both basses have Pro Steels 45-105, which seem to work very nicely with these basses.

At the moment NS4CR has a BT Circuit wired at 18V, The Euro 4 has a OBP1 wired at 9V.

Here is a sound comparison.
Which clip do you prefer?

It was tough but I think I prefer the 2nd, it was a bit more aggressive. combine the two and you get a TP

 

[brotherbassj]

I also like the OBP-1 even though others here in the past have been against it. I like it better than the tone pump....lol

 

[iceboxbass]

What song?

This song...http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bMJMrOrm0rg

Actually after closer observation and listening with my best ear phones, I see/hear that the bass player is finger playing...Hmmm Tomorrow I'm going to rework the song. As Jeff would say...TO WAR!!!

 

[iceboxbass]

#1 is the Euro with the OBP1
#2 is the NS4CR with the BTS

At first I was really liked then BTS better now I am liking the OBP1 better.

We will see what the owner says and decides. I won't tell you who he is but I can tell you he playsbass.

The reason I didn't go with #1 is because its to dark, a bit murkier, not well defined.
Where #2 is more well defined, articulate, and even across the strings.

 

[husky123]

This song...http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bMJMrOrm0rg

Actually after closer observation and listening with my best ear phones, I see/hear that the bass player is finger playing...Hmmm Tomorrow I'm going to rework the song. As Jeff would say...TO WAR!!!

I think you'll be just fine using your fingers.

 

[5StringPocket]

I have the P/DC, Spector 18v and that's my favorite setup on my Rebop 5. John just set his up with that combo and I thought it sounded better. His was a four and I like it for the low B, A on the 5'er. Maybe he can chime in on his toughts since we all like different combos and is discussed here quite a bit. Of course the P will have a little less output because of the DC being a dual coil.

Yeah, I just set this config up on my NS-4 and really like the tone I am getting. I think I went a little overboard with the clips since I wanted to compare it a few different ways but I finally have it set to a way I really like it now so I am glad I made the swap.

It was mostly due to adjusting the pickup height since I think originally, the DC was over-powering the P pickup at first so then I would make some minor adjustments and then record more clips to see what I thought. I got a bit too obsessed though and had to throw up the white towel since I just couldn't stop

I had not owned any P/J Spectors until purchasing my 2002 non LX Euro and really became a fan of that pickup config but when Mike tried the P/DC combo in his Rebop5, I really was intrigued and wanted to try it. Chris Loe also tried it when he owned the buckeye NS-4 that I currently own and I liked that combo the best out of the clips he posted so between hearing that and the Rebop, I couldn't wait to try it and I am very glad I did.

Once I get a bit more settled, I will post the clips and there are a few more I will post as well. Sam and I are comparing the P pickups between my NS-4 and his NS-2 and I think some of you might be surprised to hear the results. that 18V USA circuit really is an amazing pre. Sure, it's going to sound a bit different but with the limited availability of the 9V USA circuit, some might want to give this bad boy a shot. I am thinking about putting one in my Euro and seeing how that sounds but wanted to check if it has the quick connects since I really don't want to solder if I don't have to

With the P/DC on the Rebop, was the P in the neck or bridge position? Also, I read elsewhere that the 18V pre opens up the headroom and improves the mids. Does this align with what you've heard?

 

[delucajohn2000]

I also like the OBP-1 even though others here in the past have been against it. I like it better than the tone pump....lol

It's funny because I really didn't like the OBP-1 when it was in my JH5 so I thought that pre was just awful. Now that I have the Euro with one in it though, I really like it and left it in the bass so I guess it depends which bass it is in.

Like the tonepump though, the OBP-1 gets really ear piercing for me when too much treble is added but that is just me so others would definitely think different. I pretty much keep the treble flat on most of my basses and if I add some, it's rarely that much.

With the P/DC on the Rebop, was the P in the neck or bridge position? Also, I read elsewhere that the 18V pre opens up the headroom and improves the mids. Does this align with what you've heard?

On my NS-4, the P is in the neck position. I don't think it would sound too good with a DC at the neck and a P at the bridge but hey, you never know. I could probably swap mine real quick since they both have the quick connects but I get borderline OCD with pickup height and have mine where I like them right now and don't want to mess with them

 

[superdick2112]

Which clip do you prefer?

Like Ice, I prefer # 2 when listening through my computer speakers. Good tone & balance across the entire range.

But.... I'm betting #1 would be the better sounding bass of the two when played live through a big rig. It has that classic Spector low end beef and focus that sounds huge when played through bigger amps.
I've been doing a lot of comparisons lately of the USA 9 and 18 volt preamps, as well as the tonepump and EMG preamp through my mini rig and my big rig, and I've gained a much better understanding (as far as my particular Spectors are concerned) of how their sound will translate from one rig to the other.

 

[NOLA Bass]

Below are 2 visiting Spectors to the Limapad for a fellow club member.

One is a 1998/1999 NS4CR and the other is a 2001 Euro 4.

I am testing out different preamps to see which he prefers.

In the sound clips below both basses have Pro Steels 45-105, which seem to work very nicely with these basses.

At the moment NS4CR has a BT Circuit wired at 18V, The Euro 4 has a OBP1 wired at 9V.

Here is a sound comparison.
Which clip do you prefer?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I prefer number one. It has more low end and low mid punch to me. What a shock that someone whose favorite Spector is an NS-4 likes that one!

I was set on putting a US9V in my Euro 435LX, but there just seems to be no update on these becoming available in the near future again. As such, the Aguilar OBP-1 is starting to pique my interest for sure.

 

[Basstovsky]

So I'm discovering through the NS-X that I do prefer a thin neck front-to back over a thin neck side-to side. I enjoy playing it, but it is not as easy as with a very thin front-to-back neck. The tight spacing is definitely fun though, if I had my choice I'd have both a narrow nut and thin D neck.